The Reactions –Summertime Rock ‘N’ Roll

The Reactions –Summertime Rock ‘N’ Roll/Liberty –Vogue 45.x.12127 (1975 France)
Just as we are freezing our toes off, please accept into your life some Summertime Sub Bolan Bubblegum Boogie …Summertime Rock ‘N’ Roll is basically a severe case of “I got a chorus and I ain’t afraid to use it”. It’s so repetitive, it makes Frost’s Rock ’N’ Roll Music sound like Bohemian Rhapsody! It’s a damn catchy tune featuring a rather curious yet fetching chord progression. Half way through its short run time, the beat also doubles up to great effect. The Reactions were a French affair (Lalanne, Foscolo and Meyer as writers), but it was recorded at Trident Studios in London and mixed at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia. The B side is basically an abridged and dressed down Tubular Bells coming in at under 3 minutes. A definite improvement in my book!

Click on title for a full version of Summertime Rock ‘N’ Roll

Tigers on Vaseline –The John Scene

Tigers on Vaseline –The John Scene/ What My Hairdo –Philips 6012353 (1973 NL)

The John Scene is the 2nd second single the Tigers released on Philips and it’s fine slice of open minded Glam, not of the crunching variety, but really special all the same. If you look beyond the obvious Bowie references, you may be reminded of Willie Nile or even Rodriguez (Sugar Man) albeit with a strong and strange Euro slant. The production by Boudewijn de Groot (who also plays guitar) is bright, full and inspirational helping to make this diamond really shine. The B side What My Hairdo is plainly bizarre and is worth either one line or a whole thesis. Tigers on Vaseline then shortened their name to Tiger and released one further single on Philips - Hot Amsterdam before splitting.

The John Scene is NOT included on the forthcoming NederGlam comp “Clap Your Hands And Stamp Your Feet”, watch this space for official news soon.

Click on title for a full version of The John Scene

Unreleased Acetate: All Night Long (with John Christian Ex Shady Lady)

All Night Long/ Down On 42nd Street -EMIDISC Acetate (circa 1974)
Here are full versions of two wild slabs of Proto Punk Glam just oozing ATTITUDE. All Night Long was initially recorded by LA Glamsters Shady Lady and the original recording of All Night Long can be heard here: myspace.com/shadyladyrocks along with other tracks from their album that was unreleased at the time.
The track was written by singer Stefen Shady with guitarist John Christian. John left the band in 1973 and went to London where these two tracks were recorded in 73/74. The sassy vocals are handled by John’s wife Valerie. Both tracks are equally as good and are great examples of NY Dolls sleaze (with a bit of Quatro thrown in) and would have fitted in well with the burgeoning NY Punk scene, but definitely 3 years too early for the UK…I don’t know the name of the band, if anyone knows, please let me know.

All Night Long



Down On 42nd Street

Return from Utrecht…

I had another amazing time at the best record fair in the world. 3 days of walking around, searching , finding, exchanging, meeting, eating chips "met" etc…and generally hanging around with that far away 100 yard stare. Picked up quite a big haul including the following:

Tiger B. Smith –Morning Bird -Ger Pic Sleeve (the original version of The Damned track on Velvet Tinmine) See the photo above and click on title for a full version of Morning Bird
Chicory Tip –Cigarettes, Woman and Wine –French Pic Sleeve
Hans van Hemert –Old Dom Is Dead/ I Regret –Dutch Pic Sleeve
Hush –The Single LP –Belgian LP (Lennart & Dagleth)
Smyle –Crazy Lazy Little Miss Daisy –Dutch Pic Sleeve
Slack Alice –Motorycle Dream –French Pic Sleeve
Harley Quinne –Rock N Roll Is Back Again Ger Pic Sleeve
Beano –Candy Baby –Ger Pic Sleeve
Crazy Elephant –Gimme Some More –Ger Pic Sleeve
Crazy Elephant –There Ain’t No Umbopo –Ger Pic Sleeve (totally wonderful Spectorian homage by Gouldman, Godley & Crème via Kasenetz Katz and Ritchie Cordell)
Splash –Orangutang Boomerang Swe Pic Sleeve
Children of The Night –Dinner with Drac (Great US Pic Sleeve)
Marquis Of Kensington –Flash –Ger Pic Sleeve
J.C. Livingstone –Oh Oh Oh Angelina –Ger Pic Sleeve. Forget the A side, but the B side is basically Discotheque King by Muff, with pounding drums similar to Momma Was A Steamroller Lady. Question: Can we presume that J.C. Livingstone is in fact Rod McQueen?
Boys –Baby It’s You (US Pic Sleeve)
Jimmy Jukebox –Motorboat (US)
Q65 –Your’e the Victor
Kemo Sabay –Running Bear –Ger Pic Sleeve
Weltons -Hang 10 Hang 10
Sharaton –Walking Down The Road
Hollywood Stars –All The Kids On The Street (Ger Pic Sleeve)
Dominik –Rocket –French Pic Sleeve
Bob And Honey Bee –Queenie Rock On
Giorgio –Moody Trudy/ Stop –Ger Pic Sleeve
Spode –Singalong Song -Ger Pic Sleeve(The B side Cincinatti Woman is like a Joe Meek production from 1971)
Fresh Air- Bye Bye Jane
Skin –Trucking Song –Ger Pic Sleeve –check out the sound clip here: http://proudfootsound.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/skin-trucking-song-substitute-seven-sun-197/

First Class –Gimme Little Sign –Dutch Pic Sleeve (John Carter)
Hold Up –Telephone -Bel Pic Sleeve)
Biggles –Gimme Gimme Some Lovin’ –French Pic Sleeve (Mike Berry - Ning, UK Jones etc…)
New Adventures –Late Late Show –Dutch Pic Sleeve
John Kincade –Jenny Gotta Dance –Ger Pic Sleeve
Loco –At The Local Dance –Gr Pic Sleeve
Mabel –Hey I Love You -DK Pic Sleeve
Octopus –Hey Na-Na -Bel Pic Sleeve
The Killer –Killer’s Boogie –Dutch Pic Sleeve
Hollywood Brats –Rough Mixes (bootleg)
Think Tank –Hold My Hand (Dutch Pic Sleeve)
Jeff Phillips –Yesterday’s Hero –Ger Pic Sleeve
Jeff Phillips &Tigerwing –Superman – Ger Pic Sleeve (Vanda & Young)
D’jurann Jurran –Streakin’ –Ger Pic Sleeve
Doc & Prohibition –Superman –Ger Pic Sleeve
Snakes –Teenage Head –Dutch Pic Sleeve (Nick Garvey &Co)
Shoreline –I Like Rock N Roll –Dutch Pic Sleeve
Shades –Monday’s Child
Long Tall Ernie And The Shakers –Motoride –Dutch Pic Sleeve
Sir Henry & His Butlers –Camp (the B side Pretty Style is VERY weird downer psych)

Plus quite a few spares and upgrades…
Chaos –Guitar Man- Ger Pic sleeve
Blunderbuss –Boogie Woogie Woman –Ger Pic Sleeve (Tony Atkins +Gerry Morris of Galahad , Toggle etc…)
Gary Glitter (Paul Raven) –Goodbye Seattle -Ger Pic Sleeve
Abacus –Indian D ancer –Ger Pic Sleeve
Ted Mulry Gang –Jump In M Car –Ger Pic Sleeve
Plastic Feet –Big Blond Baby –Dutch Pic Sleeve
Reparata- Your Life Is Gone (Dart)
Ning –Machine -Ger Pic Sleeve
Marrakesh – Prodigal Son
Stanley Frank –S’cool Days -Ger Pic Sleeve
Rockets –Rock N Roll Drummer –Ger Pic Sleeve
Left Side –Clap Your Hands And Stamp Your Feet –French Pic Sleeve
UK Jones –Let Me Tell Ya
Soho Jets – High Heel Tarzan
Flamin’ Groovies –Slow Death –Ger Pic Sleeve
And more Teens singles!

In a few hours I'll be...

HERE!!!!

I will report back as per usual...

Mississippi –Mr Union Railway Man

Mississippi –Mr Union Railway Man/ Main Street –HMV DNZ 10716 (1970 NZ issue)

How on earth could this single, originally released in the UK on the tiny independent Fox label, get licensed and released down under in New Zealand on HMV? Very strange indeed…
Mr Union Railway Man is an out and out scorcher. Tight as can be; the track burst out at the seams and maximizes the minimum in glorious fashion. The cutting lead break is positively blistering and the echo on the vocals add a Freakbeat/Psych element into the mix. The B side Main Street also has some pretty nifty guitar and is another winner in its own right. This track was comped a while ago, but I have no information on who was in the band etc…
Click on title for an edit of Mr Union Railway Man and Main Street

F.B.I –I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight

F.B.I –I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight/The Boogaloo Boo-Boo –A&M AMS 705 (1973 UK)

I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight is a logical but bubbly cover of the Boyce & Hart hit (also on A&M), where a semi-Glitter beat and Leslie guitars subtly update the tune for 1973. This single is the work of producers Phil Swern and Johnny Arthey (The Pearls, Blue Haze, The Seashells etc…). and the promo blurb anticipated that the release would” find a warm reception with contemporary M.O.R programmers”. There’s nothing quite like aiming for the run of the mill whilst managing label heads’ expectations and achieving zilch…The B side is a fun piece of Bubbleglam fluff and is also worth a spin or two...

Click on title for an edit of I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight and The Boogaloo Boo-Boo

Savwinkle And Turnerhopper –Your Mother Thinks I’m A Hoodlum

Savwinkle And Turnerhopper –Your Mother Thinks I’m A Hoodlum/Dirtyin’ My Thing- Pye 7N 17913 (1970 UK)

With a title that grabs the attention, Your Mother Thinks I’m A Hoodlum is a bizarre concoction on the border of Freakbeat albeit with a Dave Arbus soundalike on fiddle instead of having Eddie Philips style guitar moves. The underlying guitar goes for that Hey Gyp motif with bongos reinforcing the beat and the track does build nicely. Not sure about these guys commitment to The Revolution, but the lyrics are quite a hoot what with references to never hitting old ladies and paying taxes although wearing their hair long. It’s co-produced by Ray Hammond who managed The Fire for a while, but who were Savwinkle and Turnerhopper? Both tracks are credited to Turner & Savage…

This just in from Ray Hammond:

"Savwinkle and Turnerhopper were a duo I manufactured for a 'one-off' record deal with Pye.
The singer/songwriters were John Turner and Derek Savage, former leader of a sixties group from Battersea called 'The Saturday Band.'
When their playing days were over the pair started The Saturday Agency in Thayer Street, London W1 representing a number of artistes and bands.
I shared office space with the pair in 1969-70 and, as they were still keen to write and perform, I thought I'd give them an opportunity. Sadly, their efforts didn't win the public over."


Click on Title for a full version of Your Mother Thinks I’m A Hoodlum

Sharaton –Caught In The Act

Sharaton –Caught In The Act/Spotlight –VIP VP 7483 (1974 NL)

Losing myself in total low land obscurity here… There is zilch in the way of information on Sharaton, the only clues are that both songs are written by Sharaton –E. Weiss and that Sharaton’s bass player was Andre Versluijs who was later in Diesel alongside Mark Boon of Smyle as well as playing in Carlsberg.

Anyhow, Caught In The Act is an up-tempo Punk/Glam crossover, but ends up being a confused beast. It’s been compared to The Angelic Upstarts meets Racey and I couldn’t have put it more eloquently myself…

Click on title for a full version of Caught In The Act

Grasshopper – My Honey

Grasshopper –My Honey –I.M.C Records 0010 (197? US)

Staying within the Boogie end of the spectrum, here is a prime slice of rocked out high Energy Boogie. Apart from having obvious Hispanic credits, I can’t find any clue about these guys. My Honey is a real blast somewhat like Canyon merged with Streak on a tight budget and the B side rocks out in similar fashion. Picked up at Bleeker Bob’s in NYC.

Click on title for a full version of My Honey

Slowload –Big Boobs Boogie

Slowload –On The Road Again/Big Boobs Boogie –MAM 27 (1971 UK)
Big Boobs Boogie is a Fat-Assed Proto-Punk Metal Glam/Boogie Romper. It’s a pretty sloppy affair and appears more like an after-thought, appearing on the B side of the more polished cover of On The Road Again. It has, however, some absolutely Killer guitar moves, surprising tempo shifts and some real over the top vocalisations…It’s like Blue Cheer fed on girlie mags auditioning for Paul Raymond’s Revue Bar after The Stooges missed out on the slot.
It’s produced by Vic Maile who shares a writing credit on this opus. All I could find for background info is that a guy called Carl was in the band and is now Rick Parfitt in a Status Quo tribute band called Statin Quo. No news from him as yet…

Click on title for a “full on” version of Big Boobs Boogie

Update: The other Slowload single is Glo Macari's Lookin' For Love (Columbia DB 8821 1971 UK) which is part early Glam (guitar and handclaps), part Gospell God is Love (the chorus), still pretty good though. The rumours were that it was Jessie Hector and gang who had backed Glo (Lou Macari's daughter) on his single.

Slowload were Neville Crozier (Bass, vocals) , Vic Martin (Drums) and Carl (Guitar)

Check out Neville's website addresses -check out the comments of this post.

Here are a couple of photos of Slowload: Note that is Vic Maile on the roof of the van...

Lennart Messagie & Dagleth –And I Love Her

Lennart Messagie & Dagleth –And I Love Her/Wake Up –Sugar Plum 84-17.002Y (1973 Bel)

Belgian Glam Pop combo with more than a sense of the ridiculous; catch these lyrics:

She’s missing an eye, she’s got a wooden leg
she’s only got four fingers and one big foot
she laughs like a beast and she talks like a dog…
And I love her, yes I love her, I love her like nobody else can do…
You’ve got to wonder about these guys’ sexual preferences, especially as one of their other singles is titled Sleeping With My Dog! Whatever the lyrical content, And I Love Her is a superb piece of melodic BubbleGlam, so catchy you can almost suspend belief as they sing: She’s not so bad, just got to close my eyes…
L M &D later evolved into Glam Popsters Hush (not the Australian ones as those guys most likely slept with dingoes…)

Click on title for a full version of And I Love Her

Rockin' Horse -Julian The Hooligan

Rockin' Horse -Julian The Hooligan/Stayed Out Late Last Night -Philips 6006200 (1971 UK)

Rockin’ Horse were formed by Merseybeat stalwarts Jimmy Campbell (Ex Kirkbys & The 23rd Turn Off) and Billy Kinsley (Ex Merseybeats/Merseys and future Liverpool Express). Their lone album (recently reissued by Revola) revived the melody driven aesthetics of years previous with the LP standing proud next to Badfinger’s output or the Liverpool Echo LP as it is free of the Prog awfulness that permeated so many LPs at the time.
It’s a truly great album and a precursor to the birth of 70s Powerpop as Greg Shaw acknowledged when he re-released Biggest Gossip In Town as the first single on his Voxx label. Julian The Hooligan is one of my favourite tracks on the album and sounds even better as a stand alone single. It certainly beats Oasis hands down in the raspy Lennon vocal department. Top Class!

Note: The top photo is the rather fetching German picture sleeve featuring a Plasticine "Hooligan" which somehow resembles a plastered 1930’s Noddy Holder...

Click on title for a full version of Julian The Hooligan

Thundermug –Clap Your Hands & Stamp Your Feet

Thundermug –Clap Your Hands & Stamp Your Feet/Duckworth Stomp –Axe 33 (1976 Canada)

I’m losing track of the number of versions of CYHASYF that I have amassed up to now. Bonnie St. Claire’s classic certainly knew no borders and although the success of the song was limited in most countries, its appeal was certainly global.

To prove the point here is Canada’s entry by Thundermug no less. The mighty ‘Mug were pretty huge at the time with their heavy goodtime boogie; with Africa and Orbit being their biggest sellers. You should also check out their cover of You Really Got Me that nearly gives The Hammersmith Gorillas a good run for their money. Thundermug toured with Sweet and Slade and the Boot Stomping Glam influence certainly made its mark along with a melodicism which bought them, at times, close to 70s Powerpop.

The non-album Clap Your Hands & Stamp Your Feet neatly bring all these influences together. Whilst not as frenetic as The Wild Angels’ version, Thundermug heavy it up with a plodding bass, which is counter-balanced by the Maui-like backing vocals, which are similar in effect to the chants on South Africa’s entry by Maria. The B side Duckworth Stomp is from the Tadaa album and is a fine up-tempo rocker in its own right, a bit like a lost Canyon single.

Click on title for a soundclip of CYHASYF

Jeremy Finn - Little Angel Part 1

Jeremy Finn -Little Angel Part 1/ Little Angel Part 2 -Decca FR13675 (1976 UK)

OK, mystery revealed ( to a certain extent). This is the A side to the "mystery" track. There are two other singles that I know of by Jeremy Finn, but those are both in a disco style. Little Angel is pretty neat though, the androgynous vocals make this sound like Milk 'N' Cookies paired up with Wizard in a collision with Teddy Palmer And His Rumble Band, while making a hell of a fuss on the midnight bus.... if you see what I mean.
This is a German production, and by the accent, Jeremy must have been a German citizen, unless he was an ex-pat who had lost his identity and sense of self whilst stranded on the Continent...

Click on title for a full version of Little Angel Part 1

Mystery Track

OK, have a listen to this mystery track. It’s a rather bouncy instrumental B side to a similarly titled A side.

10 wrong or enlightened guesses or 1 correct one will result in the posting of the A side as the next review.

Answers as comments please!

Click on title for a full version of "Mystery Track".

Adriano Celentano – Prisencolinensinainciusol -VIDEO

Here’s a video of Mr. 24000 baci with a great lesson in gobbledygook. Rock ‘N’Roll as the universal language? –here’s the proof…
Note: there’s another great colour clip of this on youtube in a classroom setting…Enjoy!

The Rockits –Gimme True Love

The Rockits –Gimme True Love/I’m Losing You –Mowest 3016 (1974 UK)

OK, let’s stay in the land of Pop for this next review…Gimme True Love was the 2nd single that The Rockits released on Mowest and to say that it recalls Badfinger would be a bit of an understatement as it sounds like it came straight off that band’s Wish You Were Here album. The Rockits comprised John Wilson and Dave Powell who would later link up with Tom Evans and Bob Jackson (Ex Badfinger) to form The Dodgers (on Island). Tom Evans was later evicted and replaced by Roger Lomas (The Sorrows, The Eggy, Zips, Renegade etc…) before reforming Badfinger until tragedy struck yet again. Like several other Mowest releases around this time; Peter Anders was involved (Tradewinds) and Kenny Laguna was probably not far away either…

Click on title for a full version of Gimme True Love

Blue –Don’t Wanna To Make You Cry

Blue –Don’t Wanna To Make You Cry/Mooonlight –Zuma (1982 UK)

Yes, this is the same Scottish bunch who nearly hit the big time on RSO and Rocket, but as times moved on; they found themselves on Zuma (their own label?) for this single and…guess what? It’s the best damn thing they ever did. The A side is pure Beatles to say the least, but it towers above the Merseybeat revival mediocrity of The Pleasers and enters the realm of The Flamin’ Groovies circa the Now LP. The guitar sound and descending riff is just pure Cyril Jordan. Sounds like an AMS harmonizer to me as it’s got that great double-tracked lower octave thick sound. The melody is also superb with a surprising and supremely melodic middle eight. Don’t Wanna Make You Cry is a brilliant (but unrecognised) Power Pop classic. The B side is really good as well; it’s in a similar vein but with a bit of Squeeze thrown in for good measure.

Click on title for a full version of Don’t Wanna To Make You Cry

Trevor White -Crazy Kids VIDEO!!!!

God -I never knew that this promo video existed. It puts the UK pic sleeve into context. Fantastic stuff!



Thanks to Enrico for the early warning system...

The Laurels -Underground/ The Devil's Well

The Laurels -The Devil's Well/ Underground -Pye 7N.45034 (1971 UK)

Following the release of a couple of harmony pop singles on RCA, Hertfordshire's Laurels signed to Pye and this was their second and last single for that label. Underground is a claustrophobic angst riden tube ride and is damn catchy to boot. It's only let down by a mundane guitar solo, which is a shame as the A side, The Devil's Well, features some mean fuzzy lead guitar in this 7th of this, 7th of that etc...tale of damnation. It's a fun Eddie Seago/ Mike Leander creation and the 3rd verse is made more interesting by featuring some crunching Proto-Glitter handclaps prior to the song disolving into a Devil's laugh...

Click on title for an edit of Underground and The Devil's Well

Stud Leather – Cut Loose

Stud Leather – Cut Loose/ Emma Louise – Dart ART 2024 (1973 UK)

I reviewed this great single two years ago, but the copy I had was housed in a horrid French pic sleeve. But to celebrate FINALLY finding a UK copy on the great Dart (née D’Art) label, here is the track again and this time in its entirety…There is also a German pic sleeve about, which is in no way as ugly as the French one.

To recap -Cut Loose is a frenetic primitive Punker powered by slap-back echoed drums, raw guitar and a simplistic piano pounding. The performance builds and builds and the vocals get wilder and wilder, ending in near hysterics with masses of crazed Halleluiahs!!!! The track finally turns into a wild cacophonous Freak Out concluding in a final explosion…It is really totally bonkers –So enjoy it and remember to play it LOUD!

Click on title for a full version of Cut Loose

Inca Bullet Joe -Nothing Has Changed

Inca Bullet Joe -Nothing Has Changed/She -Philips 6012108 (1971 French issue)

Inca Bullet Joe were a four piece band from Dordrecht (NL).They were formed from the ashes of Dutch Psych/Freakbeat legends The Zipps. Comprised of Janco Barut (Guitar), Harry Thysen (Guitar), Ruud van Seventer(Bass) and Tony v.d. Hoek (drums), this single was their only release (note in Holland it came out as a 3 track EP). It also got a release in Peru!...I guess the name helped in that particular licensing deal! Produced by Dutch legend Hans Van Hemert; it's incredibly loud and heavy, like a Crunching Glam backing track played at 16rpm with FreakRock trappings. The melody isn't that noteworthy, but the overall effect of the handclapped beat is pretty impressive; especially halfway through when the track is stripped back to its BARE basics. The B side is also on the heavy side but with a Hippy-Dippy flute interlude.

Click on title for a full version of Nothing Has Changed

Speedies –Let Me Take Your Foto / Something On My Mind

Speedies –Let Me Take Your Foto/No Substitute –Golden Disc Records GDR 1003 (US 1979)

Speedies - Something On My Mind/Time –Speedy Delivery MS 1 (US 1981)

Once in a while a reissue programme will alert me to the existence of a band that I may have been unaware of before, and in this instance Radio Heartbeat Records’ issue of the Speedies album opened up a can of worms that led to me buying these two great singles. Both singles a fabulous examples of perfect Powerpop. It seems the Speedies were quite well known on the NYC scene often opening for visiting UK New Wave bands and they garnered quite a following. It’s hard sitting here now, to understand why a CBS or a Seymour Stein didn’t jump on them at the time as they come across as a perfect hit making machine. They had the hooks and the sound with songwriting abilities which could have turned them into real contenders. They fall somewhere between the US Titan Powerpop sound with a touch of UK New Wave and by the time they released their second single produced by Clem Burke, they could have tagged on to the success of a band like The Cars. It’s a crime an album wasn’t released at the time…

Click on title for an edit of Let Me Take Your Foto and Something On My Mind

Radio Heartbeat Records

This has now been rectified by Radio Heartbeat Records who have released a Speedies LP (Yes, it’s on Vinyl folks!) that collects both sides of their singles along with unreleased material mostly recorded during sessions in Canada. There are many other top tunes on the LP including the opener You Need Pop. The sound is loud and proud, like a tougher version of The Fast.
As well as Speedies, Radio Hearbeat have also issued a true labour of love –A ridiculously sublime gatefold issue of the Milk ‘N’Cookies LP which features a second disc with outtakes and tracks that didn’t appear on the original album. I first discovered the band back in 1975 and picked up the German issue of the LP that year (it’s release was delayed for over a year in the UK). The band looked so perfect to me at the time, but I was slightly put off by the fey vocals, although the tunes were topnotch. That LP fell into a similar bag to The Quick insofar as their wildness seemed to have been curtailed in the clutches of their respective producers (Muff Winwood and Earl Mankey) who seemed to have attempted to turn both acts into the new Sparks. So for me the real surprise was the unbridled energy of the bonus tracks. The alternative version of Not Enough Girls (In The World) is certainly much tougher, Tinkertoy Tomorrow and Typically Teenage are damn near perfect while Wok N’ Woll is a cataclysm that will blow your socks off. If only that last track was released at the time, I would have put Milk ‘N’ Cookies right at the top of my favourite bands at the time.
Radio Heartbeat Records are not ending their release programme there either, below are the next scheduled releases including unreleased 20/20!!!! And The Quick LP. All will appear on vinyl as well…

RADIO HEARTBEAT RECORDS RELEASES:
OUT NOW:RHB -101 SPEEDIES "Speedy Delivery" LP / CD
RHB -102 HUBBLE BUBBLE S/T LP
RHB -103 HUBBLE BUBBLE "Faking" LP
RHB -104 RAXOLA S/T LP
RHB -105 MILK N' COOKIES 2LP

UPCOMING:
RHB - 701 20/20 "Going Up With My Girl" c/w "World of Fools" PS45 (AUG 2008)
RHB - 106 RADIO CITY "Class of '77" LP (SEPT 2008)
RHB - 107 20/20 Unreleased/Demos 2LP (OCT 2008)
RHB - 702 AMBULANCE "It's All Up To You" PS45 (OCT 2008)
RHB - 108 THE STRAND "Seconds Waiting" LP (NOV 2008)
RHB - 109 THE QUICK "Mondo Deco" LP (DEC 2008)
RHB - 110 AMBULANCE "It's All Up To You" LP (JAN 2009)

So what can I say except to urge you to contact the label: william@radioheartbeat.net and show your support by buying these gems. A label like this with top taste and such dedication appears once a blue moon, so please ensure you help turn this venture into a success.

Click on title for a soundclip of Wok N’Woll

Catapult -Teeny Bopper Band

And while we're at it, here's a fun clip of Leiden's finest performing their 3rd single.
Just dig the fancy leg work...So c'mon and Clap Your Hands and Stamp your Clogs!

Francis Butler's Sixty-Niners - Flash

Francis Butler's Sixty-Niners -Flash/Back Street Drivin' -Earth ESP 008 (1974 Aus)

Flash is a sublime piece of moronic Colonial Boogie/Glam. I'm sure you'll dig the idiocy of the grunts (and Yippees!!) and the inane repetitiveness which will hammer the hook right into your frontal lobes (and beyond...). You will certainly swoon to the beefy guitar in any case, which is similar to the guitar-slinging found on both Streak singles. A killer song and performance, but perhaps using the name Francis might have limited its demographic appeal...This was the band's last single in any case.
The B side Back Street Drivin' is pure Pub Rock and somehow reminds me of The Solid Senders or a harpless Lew Lewis.
Read about the band here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sixty_Niners

Click on title for a full version of Flash

My Version Is Better Than Yours Part 8: Miracles -Oppo vs Anita Garbo

Oppo –Miracles (A Mini Epic)/The Flame-EMI 2451 (1976 UK)

Originally an instrumental used in a (British) Leyland Mini advert filmed in Amsterdam in 1975 (see the clip below), the song was re-recorded by Jeff Boult and Fred Gardner (The Tapes)with added lyrics sung by Angela Allen (Carmen). Not sure if Oppo was an actual band, but Geoff Trickley, James Bradley, G. Hunt, Donald Supner shared the publishing with Jeff Boult. The single version is a bit of a quirky mish-mash reminiscent of Sparks with Art Rock deficiencies…

Anita Garbo –Miracles/ Do It With Me –Poker S643 (1977 NL)

Anita’s version is a much more realised affair. With its rousing string section arranged by an un-credited Jeff Lynne, the track drives along superbly. If anything this version has a heavier Sparks touch to it and was deservedly a hit in Holland in 1977.

Anita Garbo seems to have been of Swedish origin and released at least 2 other singles on Basart/Papillon : Race With The Devil / Mean Mean Mean and Mean Mean Mean / Show the way (written by Boult / Gardner).

Click on title for an edit of both versions of Miracles.

And here's the fun period piece advert... The "band" really looks dated and out of place for '75

Slow Dog -Walking Through The Blue Grass

Slow Dog -Walking Through The Blue Grass/ Ain't Never Going Home -Parlophone R5942 (1972 UK)

Slow Dog were probably a local Huntingdon quintet who's only release seems to have been this fine cover of this Staveley Makepeace tune. I use the words "probably" and "seems" as I can no longer find the link that had the band's line up.
Anyhow, Walking Through The Blue Grass walks the line between pure Norman Greenbaum boogie stomp and early 70s T.Rex with a mean DIY Fuzz and production throughout.The lyrics are silly and somewhat fruity...all peaches and nice "pears"...

Click on title for a full version of Walking Through The Blue Grass

Chris Hodge -Beautiful Love

Chris Hodge- Beautiful Love/Sweet Lady From The Sky -RCA LPBO 5007 (1974 UK)

There’s very little in the way of background information available on the web on Chris Hodge. This is surprising as he released two singles on Apple including the US hit We’re On Our Way.
It seems he signed to Apple thanks to Ringo’s shared passion for sci-fi! We’re On Our Way was a fine slab of Psych/Glam with lyrics in some way similar to Paul St. John’s "The Flying Saucers Have Landed", but with more urgency and with less of a namby Pamby hippy approach.
He then released two great singles on RCA - My Linda (credited to The Sunshine Kid in the UK) and this one before moving on to DJM for the lethargic sub-Burrito I Love You/ Old James Dean. After that who knows…

Beautiful Love in no way sounds like its title would make you believe. It’s a hard-as-nails-riff–heavy Glam Cruncher. The intro comes across like a wild space age Crazy Horses and the thumping drums gain an extra edge thanks to the astute use of a gated reverb during the thudding drum break - Shake, SHAKE!!!
There’s a web page for Chris Hodge here www.chris-hodge.co.uk.It has 8 unreleased tracks on top of the 10 he released at the time.

Click on title for an edit of Beautiful Love

Monsoon –Night Of The Fly

Monsoon –Night Of The Fly/ Caroline The Wine Was Good –Blue Mountain 12000 AT (1972 Dutch issue)

This is one weird Eddie Seago (Boston Boppers, Crunch etc...) artifact. I’m not at all sure what Night Of The Fly is actually about or has to do with falling in love, but this web of intrigue is finely supported by the music which features some neat fuzzed up guitar over a strange and haunting melody. It’s all wonderfully spooky and definitely all good!

Click on title for a full version of Night Of The Fly

Giorgio –Underdog

Giorgio –Underdog/Watch Yourself –A&M AMS 822 (1971 UK issue)

Let’s stay firmly in mainland Europe for this next single, by the king of Euro-Pop himself –Mr. Giorgio Moroder. Giorgio’s pre-Disco career is just full of these little gems, with Underdog being perhaps at the top of the pile. Here, Giorgio sings and stands up for all the down-trodden (mustachioed or otherwise) guys who not only get shit from the boss man but get laughed at by prostitutes…
The song twists and turns and the arrangement is full blown to say the least. It goes from mad fuzz patterns, to driving string quartets to drum breaks (where the spring reverb is set to overload and the delay full tilt on feedback) along with the usual Chicory Tip analogue keyboard bleeps.
The B side is an incredible garage Punk tirade targeted at those mean men in blue and makes this single a perfect double-sided purchase –go find!

Click on title for a full version of Underdog

Walkers –Do The Yo-Yo

Walkers –Do The Yo-Yo/ May Beautiful You –Philips 6019122 (1974 DK)

Here's another fine Euro-Stomper by Denmark’s Walkers. Do The Yo-Yo has the mother of all crunching beats but with one of the most simpleton-Bier-keller-Sing-a-long choruses you’ll ever get to hear-it even gives Jackpot (Is Everybody Happy) or Yellow Cat (Sissy) a run for their money! There’s also a strange vary-speed/Pitch change effect near the end, it sounds like someone simply sped up the tape manually at the mastering stage…very weird.

Click on title for a full version of Do The Yo-Yo